Centrifugal separator.



I/I GIMIEIIDNI, ErI'miFua/IL SEHR/Ima.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20. 1915. -Mf'qf, Patented Dec. 28, MI5.

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Application'led May 26, 1915. SerialNo. 29,369.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, VIVIAN Josera; GIA- NELLONI, a citizen ofthe United States, re-

siding at Burtville, in the parish of East Baton Rouge and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements 'in Centrifugal Separatore; and l do hereby declare, the following to be a full,

` clear, and-,exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in centrifugal separators, especially intended for use in the manufacture of sugar whether from sugar cane or sugar beets, and 'is more especially intended to provide a centrifugal separator for separating the clear raw. juice from/the heavier 'mud and the lighter impurities in a purely mechanical way, in lieu ofthe mechanical methods now employed.

My invention will be understood by referencev to the accompanying drawings, in

which the same parts are indicated by the same reference symbxols throughout the sev- .eral views.

Figure shows a. sectional elevation of the entire apparatus, parts belng shown 1n central vertical section and parts in elevation;

Fig. 9. shows a section along the line 2--2 of Fig. l, and lookingdown; Fig. 3 is a modification showing the conical drum mountedV in the lreversed position from that shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 shows a section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring first to Figs. l and 2, A repre'- sents the hollow rotary spindle supporting the separating drum B, which is preferably .in the form of a truncated cone having its upper end closed by a diaphragm B', which is provided with a plurality of perforations b, which perfor-ations are arranged in a circle of slightly less diameter than the diaphragm B', as shown most clearly in Fig. 2. The bottom of the drum is closed by a. cap C, which is secured to the spindle A in any convenient way, as by .the'nut D and pin d.

The drum B is splined to the spindle A, but

is adapted to be raised vertically against theaction of the spring Z which tends to draw the drum and cap C together. The rotary drum B is mounted in a suitable casing E which is divided by the annular inclined diaphragm E into an upper and lower chamber, the lower chamber being adapted to receive the mud and impure liquoigandl the upperl chamber being adapted to 'receive the clarified liquor, which' impure and .clear v which .preferably overhangs the inclined` diaphragm E', as shown at H', but this overhanging portion may be omitted if desired. The hollow spindle A is rotated by any suitable means, such as a'belt, dri-ven by an electric or hydraulic motor. In the drawings I have shown a pulley A fast to the spindle A, and driven by a belt, not shown, from any convenient source of power. l is a casting which contains and supports the bearings vof the machine. -The liquid to be clarified is fed through the pipe K to the interior of the hollow spindle and passes into' the drum through the openings L near the bottom of said hollow spindle.

In order to lift-the shell of the drum, l provide a collar M attached' to the diaphragm `B which is connected by the sleeve N to the double cone piece 0, forming one member of a clu tchand the other member of said clutch being in the form of a similar y hollow double cone piece P connected by the ears p and pins p tof the links Q, carried by the rods R, which rods pass through the bearing plate S mounted above the supports l, and are attached to the cross head `T which is raised and lowered by tli'e eccentric U mounted on the shaft UC Said eccentric isturned in any convenient way by suitable mechanism, as by the hand wheel U2 fast on the shaft U. It will be seen that when the eccentric is turned to lthe proper position the shell of the drum B will be lifted clear of the bottom C and any contents in the drum will be thrown outward by centrifugal force, and wedged downward due to the inclined shape of the shell of the drum, supplemented by gravity; while when the eccentric is turned in the reverse position, the cone will be positively held in the closed position.

In the form ofv device shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the position of the conical drum B is reversed, the closed diaphragm B being at the bottom and a removable top C is provided which is lifted in the same way as `particles are thrown by centrifugal the top of the drum is removable, and in this case the clear liquid is drawn oit through the pipe F and the mud and impure liquid is drawn od through the pipe G 'which is connected to the annular chamber at the base of the inclined partition E".

The casing E, shown in `Figs. l and 3,v

be provided with a suitable cover lit/Y, it desired. A

rllhe operation of the device is as .followsz-The liquid, such as raw juice, is :ted in through the pipe K, and, entering the hollow` spindle fr, down and out through the opening L, into the conical drum, Where the mud and heavier solid torce outward, occupying .a series` of concentric Cylindrical layers neXt the conical shell of the drum. rJhis layer of mud begins to settle under the action kof centrifugal force at the'angle Lil, see Figs. l to 3, and as this layer becomes thicker extends longitudh `I nally of the conical surface of the drum and inwardly until. finally it reaches a position indicatedL by the" dotted line Thev clearer liquidl is found inside of this layer oil-mud, While the lighter particle, such as the chips) liber, or the like, accumulate in a cylindricellayer near the spindle and inside of the clear liquid. This clear liquid escapes through the peritorations and is drawn od' to the evaporators,.or to any suitable receptacle not shown. As soon as .the mud layer passes beyond the line aa-a; it will begin to muddy 4the liquid passing through 'the periorations 25, and the evidence of mud in the filtered liquid Will automatically advise the attendant that the apparatus needs cleaning.

0f cours/e, the machine should ordinarily be cleaned before this. The machine Will function a definite lengthof time, and this time element may serve as a guide as to when to clean. This may be accomplished by cutting oita the supply of liqlid entering through the pipe K'and either lifting the drum B clear of the bottom C, as'shown' in Fig. l, or lifting the top C clear of the drum B, as shown in Fig.- 3. The vcentrifugal force Will causeithe contents of the drum to bel forced outward, carrying away vthe mud and other impurities past the open mouth of the drum, and these may be car ried oil through the pipe F of Fig. l, or G of Fig. 3, to the filter press or'settling tank, or any suitable receptacle not shown.

', lt" it be desired to Wash out the apparatus,

` this may be readily done by supplying Water, referably Warm Water, through the pipe l and carrying off the Water used in WashingF to the Waste? lt Will be evident that chemicals may also be introduced With the Washing Water, or With the raw juice, or other liquid to be separated, if desired.

By having the drum B in the-shape of a.

hseaid spindle closed at one end and havin -movable head 'for therother end, one ond of n, the ap parut nu nio ar factories. it.

may also be used for clari ying the symq secured in the subseqiuantgesf ot the,

.manufacture oi sugar. lt may also he used to separate from other liquids than su,ja: solutions the solid. particles or other im purities having different spccilic grayity from the pure liquor to be' clarified.

In the manufacture ot' sugar, it is preloi-0 able to use the apparatus rotating about a vertical axis, so that the centrifugal force and gravity will act at right angles to cach other onthe liquid contents ol the drinn, thus insuring greater uniformity ot :n'ztion of the apparatus, especially with regard to the concentric cylindrical layers or heavy mud', clear liquid and lighter inner particles.

lt svill be obvious that various inodlcations might be made in the herein described al'ip'aratus and in the construction, co1nhination and arrangement oi" parts Without loparting from the spirit of my invention',

thus the top lV of the outer casing may be omitted 1n both forms of the structure shown, and the bottom oi the outer casing may be open, suitable means being Inoridcd to catch mud or liquid, as the case may be, coming from the drum.

l claim g' l. An apparatus of the character dcscribed, comprising a hollow spindle, n'th means for rotating same, a drinn carried by said drum being provided with a serios ol' per forations spaced away from the periphery thereof, the said hollow spindle being provided with passages opening into said drum, and means for feeding the liquid to be liltered to said hollow spindle, with moans for -reinoving the reniovable head from said drum, While said drum is being rotated., also for returning the head to thc closed position, and also holding the saine positivelyY in said closed position While said drum is being rotated, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus of the character de'- scribed, comprising a hollow spindle, with means for rotating saine, a drum carried by said spindle closed at one end and having a removable head for the-other end., one end of said drum beingnproyided with a series of isc 

